A quiet scene at a polling station in Siem Reap city on July 29, 2018. (Thida Win/VOA Khmer)

Siem Reap Residents Cast Doubt on High Voter Turnout Figures

The high turnout figures came amid a boycott campaign led by a former opposition party president and reports of a campaign of voter intimidation during the campaign and on election day. Some 7 percent of Siem Reap residents spoiled their ballots, according to the NEC figures.

SIEM REAP PROVINCE — Siem Reap residents were not surprised by the landslide victory claimed by the ruling Cambodian People’s Party in last month’s general election, but many here said they doubted the veracity of the reported turnout figures.

Nationwide, the National Election Committee (NEC) reported more than 82 percent of the electorate turned out to vote on July 29, with the figure for Siem Reap, traditionally a strong base of opposition support, reportedly 73 percent.

The high turnout figures came amid a boycott campaign led by a former opposition party president and reports of a campaign of voter intimidation during the campaign and on election day. Some 7 percent of Siem Reap residents spoiled their ballots, according to the NEC figures.